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Objective To explore the effects of prohibitin 2(PHB2) on sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549 to erlotinib (Erl) and its potential mechanisms. Methods RACK1-specific small interfering RNA was transfected in A549 cells for knocking-down of PHB2. The effects of PHB2 inhibition on cell proliferation and apoptosis induced by Erl were observed. The colocalization of microtuble-associated protein light chain 3 alpha (LC3) and mitochondria was visualized by MitoTracker staining and green fluorescent protein-microtuble-associated protein light chain 3 alpha (GFP-LC3) transfection. Cell proliferation was detected by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining. Cell colony formation was evaluated by colony forming assay. Apoptotic index of A549 cells was evaluated by TUNEL. Western blot was used to measure the expressions of PHB2 and LC3Ⅱ. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential, cytochrome c and respiratory chain complex Ⅰ/Ⅱ/Ⅴ activity were analyzed by the commercially available kits. Results Compared with the siPHB2 and siCtrl+Erl group, the EdU-positive A549 cells and the number of cell colonies decreased significantly (P＜0.05), while the TUNEL-positive A549 cells increased significantly(P＜0.05) in the siPHB2+Erl group. In addition, compared with the siPHB2 and siCtrl+Erl group, mitochondrial transmembrane potential and respiratory chain complex Ⅰ/Ⅱ/Ⅴ activity decreased significantly (all P＜0.05) and the levels of cytochrome c increased in mitochondrial fractions (P＜0.05) and decreased in cytosolic fractions(P＜0.05) in the siPHB2+Erl group. Conclusions PHB2 inhibition significantly improves sensitivity of A549 cells to Erl,which may be explained by inhibition of PHB2-mediated mitochondrial autophagy.

Bioactive ingredients such as polyphenols and carotenoids have various health benefits such as anti-cancer and antioxidant activities. However, bioactive components are unstable and easily damaged in the gastrointestinal environment, making them unable to fully exert their functional effects. Proteins and polysaccharides can form complexes via non-covalent or covalent interactions, which have been widely used as encapsulation materials to enhance the stability and activity of bioactive compounds. This review summarizes the types of protein-polysaccharide complexes, and describes the application of the anti-solvent, pH-driven, thermal gelation and emulsification methods for the delivery of bioactive ingredients by protein-polysaccharide complexes. It is anticipated that this review will provide a reference for the research and application of bioactive compounds encapsulated in protein-polysaccharide complexes.

In this study, a composite hydrogel system was constructed by cross-linking of primary network hydrogels of gelatin (GE) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) by transglutaminase (TGase) after addition of Lactobacillus plantarum in order to improve its viability and bioavailability. The experimental results showed that the modification by SHMP and TGase changed the gel strength, water distribution state, and gel network structure of gelatin, and reduced the gelation rate, so that the three-dimensional network structure of the gel was more stable, and the intermolecular forces of the composite hydrogel was stronger, contributing to the resistance of the encapsulated L. plantarum to adverse environments. The presence of L. plantarum was found to slightly disrupt the ordered structure of the hydrogel by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Endogenous fluorescence spectroscopy analysis showed that addition of L. plantarum resulted in the exposure of the extended region containing tryptophan within the GE molecule to a more polar environment. The steric effect occurred during the gelling process, delaying the formation of covalent crosslinks and physical interactions between the biopolymer molecules, which led to changes in their microstructure. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion tests and storage tests showed that L. plantarum encapsulated in GE/SHMP/TGase gels had better survival rates and gastrointestinal release properties compared to single GE-based hydrogels. It was confirmed that GE/SHMP/TGase hydrogels had a better protective effect on L. plantarum. In conclusion, this study has explored a new method for preparing GE-based hydrogels as a delivery system for probiotics, which will provide a theoretical basis for the development of probiotic functional foods.

The analysis of the spatial connection and structural characteristics evolution of the railway passenger transport network in Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle is of great significance to the future network construction and layout optimization. This paper constructs the railway passenger transport network of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle based on the 46 863 617 railway passenger transport data, and uses GIS spatial analysis and social network analysis methods to analyze the space-time evolution of railway passenger transport links, the evolution of structure characteristics and the impact of network structure on economy and population in continuous time series. The results show that the polarization of railway passenger transport links in Chengdu Chongqing Economic Circle is obvious, and the passenger transport flow is mainly concentrated in Chengdu, followed by Mianyang, the main districts of Chongqing and Deyang, and other cities account for less than 20% of the passenger transport flow. The density of railway passenger transport network in Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle is increasing year by year, but it is still at a low level. The railway passenger transport network has a low average path length and a high average clustering coefficient, and it is characterized by a small world. The degree centrality and betweenness centrality of Chengdu and the main districts of Chongqing are far more than those of other cities. The accessibility of railway passenger transport in Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle is largely due to the intermediary role of Chengdu and the main districts of Chongqing. There is no railway passenger transport connection between most cities. The degree centrality, proximity centrality and intermediate centrality have positive effects on GDP, and pass the 1% significance level test. The degree centrality and intermediate centrality have negative impacts on the population, and pass the significance level tests of 5% and 10% respectively. Cities in the central position are not conducive to the permanent residence of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing sowing date is the key cultivation measure to raise rice yield. Blanket-seedling mechanically transplanted rice has been used in a large production area in China. But study of how yield component characteristics of blanket-seedling mechanically transplanted rice response to different sowing date is relatively few. Therefore, there is a need for asystematic comparative study. In order to reveal the effect of sowing date on the yield component characteristics of different varieties of mechanically transplanted rice, a series of field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 in the rice region of the middle of Jiangsu provinces under typical annual rice-wheat cropping rotation system with widely used rice cultivars of super japonica rice Wuyunjing 24 and indica-japonica hybrid rice Yongyou 2640. These cultivars are high in yield potential. The research were aiming to systematically analyze the dynamics of population stems and tillers, panicle characteristics, grain filling properties, and so on in different sowing date for mechanically transplanted rice. The results indicated that, with the delayed sowing date, population stems and tillers of mechanically transplanted rice increased with tillers during the earlier stage of growth, but those tillers died out rapidly during the middle and last stage of rice growth, causing a reduction of panicle maturity and obviously reducing the ratio of productive tillers to total tillers. Stem population and tillers from seedlings of early sowing dates were significantly (P<0.05) different from those in late sowing dates. When the sowing date was delayed, the panicle of mechanically transplanted rice was lessened. All of the panicle length, grain density, grain weight per panicle, ratio of No. of primary branches to No. branches of secondary branches, No. of branches per primary and secondary branch, grain number per primary and secondary branch and grain number per branch, seed-setting rate of primary branch and secondary branch were decreased. But ratio of total grains of primary branches to total grains of secondary branches was increased. Variations of characteristics in the indica-japonica hybrid large panicle rice were more drastic. There was no difference in the ratio of No. of primary branches to No. branches of secondary branches, and the ratio of total grains of primary branches to total grains of secondary branches and grains of primary branch. However, the other indexes of panicle were of significant (P<0.05) difference between early sowing and late sowing date. The postponed sowing date reduced the final weight of kernel of both the superior grains and inferior grains, resulting in grain weight decrease. With the sowing date delayed, the maximum grain-filling rate and mean grain-filling rate of superior grains were weakened. The time reaching the maximum grain-filling rate was delayed, and both the active grain-filling period and effective grain-filling time prolonged. The maximum grain-filling rate and mean grain-filling rate of inferior grains were not significantly(P>0.05) different, but maximum grain-filling rate and mean grain-filling rate in the fifth sowing date was the lowest, from which the time required to reach the maximum grain-filling rate delayed, the active grain-filling period shortened, and the effective grain-filling time prolonged. In conclusion, the suitable early sowing dates for mechanically transplanted rice would benefit rice production as followings:1) stem population and tillers of mechanically transplanted rice was steadilyincreased;2) panicles of maturity was adequate, the panicle structure was optimized, and seed setting rate was improved; and 3) the grain-filling time was longer, while the grain-filling rate was advanced and steady, especially the grain-filling characteristics of the inferior grain was optimized, more grain was filled. All the advanced characteristics would contribute to a stable and high yield. Thus, to increase rice production, sowing date of mechanically transplanted rice should be advanced to May 26 appropriately in the central part of Jiangsu province, in combination with timely transplanting and scientific cultivation and management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the medication of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the patients admitted into No.411 Hospital of PLA, so as to promote rational use of PPIs clinically. Methods: Retrospective analyses were made on the medical histories of the patients admitted into the hospital for treatment from July 2011 to June 2014, by using the Hospital Information System (HIS). The rationality was analyzed by taking into consideration the indications, dosage and administration, and drug interactions. The criteria for judging rationality included packaged insert of product and standard therapeutic guidance for PPIs. Results: There were 14 878 PPI medical histories, accounting for 26.68% of all the medical histories in the hospital. The Gastroenterology Department (7543 medical histories) and the Burns and Plastic Surgery Department (7412 medical histories) had relatively high PPI consumption rates, accounting for 50.70% and 49.82%, respectively. In the 527 medical histories sampled at random, irrational medications of PPIs were: irrational drug indications (accounting for 23.60%), irrational treatment courses (accounting for 13.15%), irrational dosage and administration (accounting for 33.85%) and irrational drug interaction (accounting for 29.40%). Conclusion: There existed irrational utilization of PPIs in the inpatients of the hospital. A prudent policy should be adopted in the clinical utilization of PPIs and be sure to use them rationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present, oil pressing is still the main process for extracting oil from flaxseed in China, but it cannot achieve efficient utilization of functional materials in flaxseed, such as flaxseed gum and lignin secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG). So a comprehensive process that produces multiple products from flaxseed needs to be developed. On the basis of the structural characteristics that the flaxseed gum is in the outermost layer of flaxseeds, the grinding degumming technology using high-speed rotating sand roller grind flaxseed surface is studied before in our laboratory. Model 150 flaxseed degumming machine was designed and manufactured according to this technology, it is composes of motor, sand roller, sieve, gum powder collector etc. Electronic motor is used in the machine to drive the sand roller with high-speed rotation inner the sieve to grind flaxseed, the gum powder flow out the sieve and is collected, the sand roller length and diameter is 800 and 146 mm, the cylindrical sieve diameter is 158 mm with uniform distribution of F1.5 mm sieve size. In this paper, the feasibility of Model 150 flaxseed degumming machine was studied. Based on that, the research work of flaxseed degumming and oil pressing co-process was carried out with the commodity flaxseed from Gansu as the research material. The results showed that: the machine was able to obtain flaxseed gum-powder successfully when flaxseed flow rate was controlled at 40 to 220 kg/h. The rate of gum-powder grinded from flaxseed was 6.5%±0.3%. The viscosity of the defatted gum-powder was (5100 ± 520) mPaos. The oil contents of flaxseed and the degummed flaxseed were 39.30%±0.25% and 41.62%±0.22%, respectively. By using the method of adding 30% flaxseed cake to degummed flaxseed, the oil of degummed flaxseed can be screw pressed successfully. The oil yield pressed from degummed flaxseed was 34.65%±0.43%, higher than that pressed twice from flaxseed (33.94% ± 0.43%)when the flaxseed was pressed with the screw pressing machine without degumming. By the combination of degumming and screw-pressing for flaxseed processing, two benefits were achieved, they were: increase number of products and high pressed oil yield. The research results can provide reference for flaxseed processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad3 signal pathway is related to mutiple physiological and pathological generation mechanism of human being. Up to date, however, the spacial and time information on the phosphorylated Smad3 is still unclear. In this study, the process of Smad3 phosphorylation was observed under the physiological state in the living cells. Firstly, the ECFP-Smad3-Citrine (Smad3 biosensor) fusion protein expression vector was constructed and identified. Then the Smad3 biosensor was transfected into 293T cells. The transfection efficiency and the expressions of fusion proteins were observed in 24 hours. Thirdly, Smad3 biosensor flurorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was observed with the inversion fluorescence microscope and measured by the MetaFlour FRET 4. 6 software. Smad3 biosensor transfection efficiency was nearly 40% and the fusion protein was seen under the fluorescence microscope. The FRET ratio of Smad3 biosensor in living 293T cells was decreased after 10 minutes incubation with the ligand of TGF-β1. The period of decreasing CFP and enhancing Citrine signals was about 300 seconds. With the technology of FRET, the TGF-β1/Smad3 signal pathway could be real time monitored dynamically under the physiological condition in living cells.